Hazard Reduction & Smoke alert

[Ric]

For those members living in Canberra and surrounding regions.

There are two hazard reduction burns ocouring this weekend and next weekend that may have a smoke impact on the region depending of course on the wind, temps etc.

This weekend 8th, 9th & 10th there is a 50 hectare burn in the Sutton region.

Next Saturday the 16th there will be a 30 hectare reduction in the Jerrabomberra region behind Queanbeyan.

Both are designed to reduce ground fuel loads in areas that could have an impact on farms and suburban area in the event of a bushfire.

Seeing as it only 6 months until the bushfire season starts again we need to get a lot done in the meantime.

Cheers

[pgc hunter]

We down here in Melbourne been suffering from those DSE burnoffs over the last 2 clear new moon periods.

Needless to say I busted a few nerves and my hatred toward the DSE has increase a googleplex-fold.

[Alchemy (Clive)]

ah yes fuel reduction burns.... given the fires we had near me this summer , there should not be that much left to burn.

I still think as a fire management policy that putting out every little fire that occurs naturally, just saves it up for a big burn like we just had.

i dont have the answer but somewhere we have not got it completely right.

just burn off when the smoke isnt blowing near me

[pgc hunter]

I hate hazard reduction burns and the DSE with a passion for the above reasons mentioned. I don't support hazard reduction burning at all, I am fully against it.

[Ric]

Our main aim is to reduce the fuel load on the forest floor thus reducing the intensity of future fires during the bushfire season. The best season is always Autumn when the temps are lower and humidity is higher unfortunately the upshot being that a lot of smoke can be generated.

I'm caught in both worlds, as a rural firefighter I see the benefit of them and take pride in protecting our local community and their property but as an amateur astronomer I also find it annoying. I adopt the view that it will blow over and the stars will still be there.

Hi PGC, I'm sorry you feel that way towards HR Burns I would be interested to hear your views on an alternative solution to burning off, bearing in mind that it needs to be cost effective and is usually done by trained volunteers.

Cheers